ASHLAND - A potential conflict of interest at least temporarily threatened to put the trial of suspected serial killer Shawn Grate on hold.

Ashland County Common Pleas Judge Ron Forsthoefel called a pretrial hearing Wednesday afternoon after discovering his son could be a potential witness.

"If he is a witness, I would have to withdraw," the judge told Prosecutor Chris Tunnell and defense attorney Rolf Whitney during the hearing. "Either there's an amended witness list or I'm out of this case, and we just wasted a hell of a lot of money getting jurors ready."

Andrew Forsthoefel was a corrections officer at the county jail, where Grate has been housed since September 2016. The judge said his son now is a road deputy.

Tunnell said he did not plan to call the judge's son as a witness and explained how he wound up on the list.

Landlord Jim Cristman is inside the apartment that Shawn Grate lived in at 132 W. Second St. Cristman bought Grate wood-working tools to help him get started in sign-making business. Jason J. Molyet/News Journal, Jason J. Molyet/News Journal